MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III will head to South Korea for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Republic of Korea 25th Anniversary Commemorative Summit from December 11 to 12.
Aquino and nine leaders of ASEAN Member States will deliver statements revolving around the theme "Building Trust, Building Happiness."
Through the summit, Korea seeks to strengthen its relationship with ASEAN through building trust, which would result to happiness, according to a statement.
Korean President Park Geun-hye will host a Welcome Dinner and Cultural Performance as a welcome for ASEAN Leaders.
Aside from the Summit, Aquino is set to meet with Park and attend sideline ecents such as an exhibition on Korean traditional arts and crafts, a special exhibition on public governance and a meet-and-greet with the chief executive officer of Korea Aerospace Industries and Korean officials.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, ASEAN-Philippines Director-General Luis Cruz and other Members of the Cabinet will join Aquino in the Summit.
Aquino will have a one-hour coffee meeting with Philippine media before leaving Korea.
Korea has engaged ASEAN in various areas of cooperation of mutual interest, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), labor and migration, trade and investment, development cooperation and people-to-people exchange, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Since 1989, Korea has been a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN before becoming a full dialogue partner in 1991. The ASEAN-Korea relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2010.